Little Miss Marcie
by Dolores-the-Dip
Summary: With Ace's re-opening, Hans' moving away and Floyd being smitten; maintaining a calm demeanor is easier said than done.
1. Chapter 1

Fan Episode #10: Little Miss Marcie

**CHAPTER 1: DENIAL + ANGER + MARCIE = LOOK OUT!**

The gang smiled as they walked around town. Snoopy, Andy, Olaf, Gracie, Charlie Brown, Frieda, Linus, Eudora, Peppermint Patty, Franco, Claudia and Skylar had just finished catching the Ray Raymondson movie at the theater (without Patty spoiling the ending) and were heading to Joe's to eat. Claudia was busy drawing in her notebook when Skylar tapped her shoulder.

"What is it?" Claudia asked.

"Is there supposed to be a new building?" wondered Skylar.

"New building?" Frieda questioned.

"Yeah..." Skylar replied. "Over there."

The kids turned their attentions to see Ace's, rebuilt with a sign in front. "Grand opening is...NEXT SATURDAY?!" Charlie Brown exclaimed.

"Amazing, Charlie Brown." Linus smiled, hugging Eudora.

"Ace's once again!" Eudora chirped.

"I was d-dying to eat their ice cream." Claudia sighed dreamily, drooling a little.

"Is it sugar-free?" Skylar asked.

"I'm so excited, Chuck!" exclaimed Peppermint Patty. "I can't wait to tell Marcie!"

"Speaking of Marceline, where is she?" Linus wondered.

"She said she wasn't feeling well and would be staying home...bummer." the tomboy sighed.

"Is she still not over Hans' moving away?" Charlie Brown asked. "Never mind, I think I know the answer."

"Patty, I'm worried." Claudia confessed. "Many a heart is b-b-broken during a move."

Linus had to add on. "And it's NOT like when Lucy and I TEMPORARILY moved away either...that's something we're considering..."

"We should check in on her." Frieda suggested.

"Yeah...maybe Ace's re-opening can get her mind off of you-know-what for a few hours." Linus agreed.

Melanie and Franklin smiled as they walked towards the kids. "OMG! Ace's is re-opening?!" Melanie shrieked.

"Yup-Saturday." Franklin read. "Wanna come with me to the re-opening? It could be a date."

"Wow!"

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Peppermint Patty exclaimed. "Franco and I can be your DOUBLE DATE!"

Frieda and Charlie Brown could only groan.

"Ace's is back, huh?" Gracie wagged her tail.

"You'll love it." Snoopy reassured. "You'll even be my DATE."

"Come on-we gotta tell everyone!" Linus explained.

"I'll tell Marcie..." Charlie Brown suggested. "As much as Patty's her best friend and Claudia's a close second-it might be best if I handle talking to her."

"Why's that, Charles?" Eudora worried.

"Patty tends to say the wrong thing sometimes." Franco understood.

"I'm cool with it." shrugged Peppermint Patty. "Besides, Claude and I, we got some plans of our own."

"Like what?" asked Skylar.

"I'm helping Krissy make a s-sweater." beamed Claudia.

"And I've been dying to hang out with Roy." added Peppermint Patty.

"Can I come with you, babe?" asked Frieda.

"You sure can, Frieda." Charlie Brown added before seeing Snoopy giving them puppy eyes. "Yes, you too, Snoopy."

"If he's going, I'm going." yapped Gracie.

"Yeah! Me too!" added Andy.

"I think Ox's calling me..." Olaf lollygagged.

"So's Holly..."

"Bye." Melanie called back as she and Franklin walked off.

Charlie Brown sighed as Snoopy dragged him on a red leash. "Are we there yet?" asked Frieda as Gracie dragged her on a light orange leash as well.

"Almost..." Snoopy replied before he and Gracie took off at full speed before stopping in front of a house and ringing the doorbell.

"We're here..." Frieda stated, reading the mailbox sign. "C-A-R-L-I-N...yup, right place."

"Great." smiled Charlie Brown as the doorknob turned slowly. "Good afternoon, ma'am...I'm Charles and this is Frieda...is-" the door instantly slammed in their face as the two kids blinked in awkward silence.

"What was that all about, hun?" asked Frieda.

Charlie Brown sighed as he reflected on the possible ideas before blinking. "I guess she knows I'm Snoopy's owner..."

"Really?" Frieda asked.

"We need a new plan." Gracie whimpered. "We can't get in."

"Can we try the window?" shrugged Snoopy as he turned his ears into propeller blades. "Grab my legs." he signaled to the blockhead as the Beagle Scouts opened a window, only for a discected pillow (with a hole in it) to be tossed out.

"Whoa..." Frieda blinked. "What sleepover did that get mauled at?"

"Let's find out..." suggested Charlie Brown as he grabbed onto Snoopy's leg. Upon climbing through the window, he was nearly knocked down by Moby Dick. "Uh, Frieda, it's NOT pretty up here."

"Meaning?" asked Frieda.

Charlie Brown sighed as he climbed into his friend's room, finding a lot of stuff either punched, ripped, dented or torn apart along with her wrapped in the bedsheets, pillow stuffing and tissues surounding her as she sobbed to herself. "Hey Marcie..." he smiled softly as he put a hand on her knee. "It's Charles."

"And Frieda." added Frieda as she too climbed in through the window.

Marcie ignored them coldly though, even when Snoopy and Gracie began kissing her and played around with some of her books. It was as if she was worlds away from her friends. Sighing, Charlie Brown wrapped his arms around Marcie and pulled her into a hug, which she didn't want to be a part of.

"Something's wrong, babe." Frieda realized as Snoopy licked Marcie's cheek in worry. She just pushed him off of her before facing away from the beagle.

"I know..." Charlie Brown added. "Marcie?" he questioned before tapping her on the shoulder. All she did was move her shoulder away from him. His second idea was to yank on a strand of hair. Still no reaction.

Frieda sighed as she climbed on her bed and sat next to her. "Marcie, hun, it's Frieda. What's wrong?" she asked calmly as Marcie ignored her, clutching onto a soggy picture. "You miss him, huh? I thought so. Wanna talk?" With a sigh, Marcie turned away from Frieda so she could face the open window.

Frieda too sighed as she crawled off the bed. "She misses Hans."

"Do you blame her?" asked Snoopy. "I had TWO failed relationships."

"That's not the same." argued Gracie, jumping on the bed and licking Marcie all over her face.

"We better get going." Charlie Brown explained as he, Frieda, Gracie and Snoopy left. Marcie didn't even say goodbye to them. "By the way..." he began. "Ace's is re-opened..." her curiousity didn't spark or even flicker.

Once she was sure they left, Marcie flopped down on her bed, curling up in a ball and crying, placing a photograph taken of her and Hans on her pillow. "Oh Hans..." she trembled, quivering before sitting up and eyeballing her red beret before walking towards it and tearing a hole in it in a fury. "I'm so mad!" she declared. "And I can't control it either! What should I do? What would you say if you were here right now? Probably some words of wisdom..."

It was safe to say she spent the rest of the afternoon a distraught mess until Patty showed up to check in on her. She had brought some Joe's To-Go to share; but only Patty ate the two burgers and the fries.

"Problem, Marcie?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"No, everything's sunshine and rainbows." Marcie sarcastically replied.

"You've been crying again."

"I'm just so mad with everything!"

"Then take it out on me."

Ten minutes later, Patty was patching herself up in the bathroom-winding up with a black eye, scrapes on her cheeks, a bloody nose, tears in her shorts and shirt sleeves, a gash on her knee and-most surprising-bite marks on her left leg. "Me and my big mouth..." she told herself.

**NEXT CHAPTER: DO YOU WANNA GO TO ACE'S?**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE NOT-SO-KIND**

"She's too upset, isn't she?" Linus asked later that evening as they met up at the Browns house.

"Yeah." Charlie Brown replied.

"I say to pound some common sense in her!" Rattler declared.

Frieda could only hold up the pillow she discovered earlier. "What do you call this?"

"Trouble with a capitol T."

"Do you think Floyd has something to do with this?" Thibault shrugged at Charlie Brown's question.

"Maybe. She DID refer to him as 'stalking her' during their camp experience." Peppermint Patty sighed. "I just wish we could open up with Marcie again."

"Hmm..." Claudia realized as her eyes widened. "I got an idea."

"What is it?" Lucy questioned.

"I say we find a way to t-t-talk with Marcie without upsetting her."

"How?"

"Who DOESN'T love Ace's?"

"I'm looking for any sugar-free ice cream on their website." replied Skylar as he looked on Charlie Brown's computer. Then it hit them.

"Franco, does Hans have a webchat account?" the blockhead asked.

"I don't know..." confessed Franco. "We can check though."

"I hope he knows what webcams are..." Peppermint Patty gulped as Pigpen and Sidney walked by.

"Hi guys!" exclaimed Pigpen. The gang noticed that his dust cloud was higher than him for once. Skylar, eyes still glued to the screen, didn't even notice the cloud until Pigpen approached him.

"Can't...breath..." Skylar wheezed, coughing as Pigpen blinked.

"Asthma..." cringed Linus.

Pigpen's eyes suddenly widened. He was gonna be the death of Skylar if he didn't step away or control his dust somehow. "I feel like I'm cursed." he confessed as he walked towards Violet and Patty. Sidney comforted her boyfriend as Claudia fished out Skylar's inhaler from his bag and called 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" the operator asked.

"Yeah, l-listen, my boyfriend's having problems breathing. His name's Sky-"

"Skylar Williams, isn't it?"

"This isn't the f-f-first time?"

"No-this is the fifth time."

"Whoa." Claudia gulped.

"Just remain calm."

"I will."

"What happened to you, Freckles? Cause I'm loving the new look." smiled Rattler.

"I got on someone's bad side." Peppermint Patty explained.

"Joe Agate?" Linus asked. "Or was it Slim, Buck and-"

"Would you believe me if I said Marceline Carlin attacked me because I TOLD HER to let out her anger on me?"

"Why'd you say that?" worried Franklin.

"I told her to take all her pent-up anger out on me...big mistake." Patty sighed.

"Ouch..." Thibault grimaced. "I prefer my belting across the chops."

Rattler raised an eyebrow. "Incidentally, Thibault, how DID you get belted across the chops?"

Thibault sighed. "Remember 'Uncle Max's' 'teachings' from when I was younger?" he began.

"Yeah." Peppermint Patty replied.

"What about them?" worried Franco.

"Well..." Thibault sighed before freezing in his tracks.

_**FLASHBACK**_

_"How come you're letting a girl play on our team?" Thibault asked Peppermint Patty._

_"What's it to you, Thibault?" Patty replied as Marcie blinked._

_"I'm not playing on any team with a girl!" _

_"WHAT DO YOU THINK __**I **__AM, YOU BLOCKHEAD? ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU, THIBAULT, AND I'LL SHRED YOU OUT!" _

_Thibault stood there and blinked. "That's the first time in my life I've been threatened with a shredding!" Thibault huffed as he came in contact with Marcie. "Hey, my Uncle Max says that girls shouldn't be on baseball teams! They should do laundry and make meals-not play sports! Especially if they have...marshmallow legs."_

_"Marshmallow legs?" Marcie shrugged it off. "Better than 'Bobby Orr' or even 'Mama Cass'...but still...I don't wanna be on this team, Mr. Thibault."_

_"So leave!"_

_"But we're short a player, Marcie." reminded Peppermint Patty._

_"Sir, if Mr. Thibault doesn't want me to play, maybe I shouldn't." Marcie realized._

_"I'll say you shouldn't! Baseball is a boy's game! You're just a stupid girl!" Thibault declared. "Why don't you go home?!"_

_Marcie sighed. "I can't go home, Mr. Thibault, because I'd be all alone...my dad is out of town and my mother is at her office designing a new freeway!"_

_"Then be the head of the household!" Thibault shouted. "Got that, Four eyes?"_

_"Now look here, Mr. Thibault, I've worn glasses nearly all my life." reminded Marcie. "And if you want to know, I'm just as capable as-"_

_"I'm glad you brought that up." Thibault smirked. Why do you wear those stupid-looking glasses? Girls don't have to see anything! What a waste of money spending it on glasses for a girl! You don't need glasses to scrub floors, do dishes and make beds!"_

_Marcie growled slightly, but remained calm-for now. "Speaking of glasses, mine are beginning to steam up!"_

_"I'd never know..." the sexisst boy remarked as he went on tiptoes to attempt to snatch her glasses, only to fall flat on his face while doing so. Thinking it was karma, Marcie giggled. _

_Upon getting back up off the ground, Thibault continued his rant. "What do girls want to play baseball for anyway? Girls should learn their propper place." and with that, he began kicking at the ground-which was extremely dirty._

_"Hey!" Marcie shouted. "You're kicking dirt on my shoes!" Thibault smirked as she walked off-not to go home and cry; but to tell Peppermint Patty. "Sir, your second-baseman has offended me beyond endurance...can you stop the game for a minute?"_

_"TIME OUT!" shouted Peppermint Patty as Marcie tossed her glove on the mound._

_"ALL RIGHT, THIBAULT, THIS IS IT!" Marcie declared._

_"What's going on?" Jose asked._

_"I have no clue." Roy shrugged._

_"Now, look here, you cement-headed, male-chauvinist dummy...I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to stand still and listen! If you say one word, I'm going to belt you right across the chops!"_

_"Oh?" snarked Thibault._

_"That was one word!"_

_"Nice going, Marcie...you destroyed my second-baseman." sighed Peppermint Patty._

_**PRESENT DAY**_

"Whoa..." Claudia blinked.

"I'm shocked." Cobra gulped.

"I knew that 'Uncle Max' was a bad influence on Tee-Wee the day I met him..." Rattler huffed. "I didn't know it was that bad."

"Yeah, he wanted a sexist nephew..." Thibault sighed.

"Now...what WERE we talking about?" Franklin asked.

"Freundin?" Franco replied.

"Oh right-Patty and how she's all beaten up." he rememebered.

"AND by her best friend too..." Linus cringed.

"Hey, at least one of the dogs' doghouses weren't involved." Patty joked despite her condition.

"Uh guys, what're we gonna do?" asked Schroeder. "Violence is never a solution."

"Two words-look out." Patty (Swanson) explained as she and Ox walked in with a ladder and paint buckets.

"We don't need a painter..." sighed Charlie Brown.

"It's for the treehouse." Patty (Swanson) told Charlie Brown before noticing Peppermint Patty. "Alright, point out the bully to us." she declared as Ox got out a sketchpad.

"Small..." Peppermint Patty began. "Chubby legs...tiny nose...deep brown hair...wearing a red shirt..."

"Anything else?" asked Ox.

"Bob cut...red shorts...peachy skin..."

"No surprise..." thought Franklin.

"And glasses." added Peppermint Patty as Ox showed her the sketch. "That HIDE the eyes." she sighed.

"Sounds like Marcie." the other Patty giggled. "But it can't be-our Marcie rarely hurts a fly."

"Really?" Thibault rolled his eyes at his ex. "Cause I know more than you in that subject."

"Maybe we should check in on her-make sure she's okay..." Ox suggested.

"I doubt it." Peppermint Patty argued. "I'm living proof that she doesn't want to see anyone."

"Maybe Ace's re-opening will get her mind off of Hans." Skylar smiled. "I only met the dude a few times, but he sure is a great guy."

"Yeah." Schroeder sighed. "Any luck finding sugar-free ice cream?"

"Do pigs fly?"

**NEXT CHAPTER: HURRICANE MARCIE...**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: LAMBCAKES 101**

"In...out...in...out..." Lucy told herself as she and Linus were 'medatating' in the living room (well, Linus fell asleep a few seconds into the meditation).

"How's it going?" Schroeder asked.

"Great." Lucy replied. "So, wanna be my date when we go to Ace's?" she asked.

"Date?" he gulped. "Well, although I'm NOT a big fan of some of the stuff you like-and vice versa-we both like Ace's and...I will be your date."

Lucy smiled widely before realizing something. "Know any single boys?"

"I'm NOT playing match-maker though. And do you know why? It's because I have you, Lucy." and with that, Schroeder kissed Lucy on the lips.

Lucy giggled as their lips parted ways. "I meant for..." she began. "Think we can find her a date?"

"Lydia or Tapioca?" joked Schroeder.

"She said that her name today is Petunia."

"Whatever..."

"Hmm..."

"Lucy, what're you thinking of?"

"I was thinking of Carlin..." Lucy simply put it. "Know why?"

A lightbulb went off in the blonde's head as he smirked. "Uh...WHICH Carlin?"

"WHICH CARLIN?!" Lucy shouted as Linus awoke abruptly.

"Yeah..."

"If you don't stop with the jokes, I've got 7 words to say."

"What's all the commotion about?" yawned Linus.

"Nothing, dear brother." Lucy sighed.

"So, any luck with whatever you're talking about?"

"No...I can't find any boy for Marcie."

"You shouldn't worry too much...maybe Pierre is single. He's fluent in French and his English IS getting better...then again, he IS all the way in France."

"I don't know how to help the girl...and I'm the psychiatrist..." Lucy realized.

A few days later, Peppermint Patty sighed as Marcie tried helping her and Claudia with the questions they didn't get-yet she was still a bit cold in the heart.

"Something wrong?" Claudia asked.

"Yes, very much." huffed Marcie as Gracie whimpered.

"What's wrong, Marce?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"I'm so mad I could blow my stack twice."

"We all get that way." reminded Peppermint Patty.

"I know, Sir, but I just can't get Hans being in Germany off of my mind..." marcie trembled a little before Claudia-without warning-hugged her. "Claudia Grandin...get your hands off of me please...personal space..."

"Sorry." Claudia blushed. "I f-forgot to ask."

"Let's just finish our homework." the tomboy suggested. "Marcie's probably overtired, grumpy and just really...crabby."

"You want crabby?" Marcie huffed.

"No!" Patty shrieked.

Later that afternoon, Lucy was at her booth. "May I help you?" she asked as someone dropped a nickle in the can.

"There's this girl I like." a boy told Lucy at her stand. "Maybe you know where she lives."

"Look, mister, I don't give out personal information." Lucy replied.

"She's the apple of my eyes." he began. "The sunshine on my cloudy days...my lambcake."

"Lambcake?!" Lucy gasped.

"Yeah."

"Look, mister..."

"Floyd?"

"Look, mister Floyd...I can't help if you don't give a description of the girl you're in love with."

"She's cute." Floyd explained bluntly.

"Is she attractive?"

"Oh yes-very pretty too."

"What about smiling?"

"She didn't show it much when I first met her...oh my lambcake..."

"Did you drive her nuts all summer?"

"Yeah."

"Look, Floyd. Go to Fillmore Street and ask people where the Carlin residence is."

"The what?"

"Carlin residence."

"Is that with a K or a C?"

"C!"

"Oh...she's gonna love seeing me again!"

"Let's hope so..."

"But...I thought it was Johnson..."

"You watched the Punt-n-Pass tournament?"

"Couldn't miss it."

Lucy sighed as she closed the booth and led Floyd to the Carlin residence. "Just say you're a friend." she explained.

"Okay, miss." Floyd smiled, ringing the doorbell. "Hi, I'm looking for a Lambcake Carlin."

"AUGHHHHHHHHHH!" Lucy screamed.

Lucy sighed as she walked to Schroeder's house. "Hey babe." she sighed.

"Hi, Lucy." he waved.

"You won't believe the kind of people I meet at the booth."

"Why?"

"I met a boy."

"Did you tell him you're taken?"

"He didn't want to be MY boyfriend...he wanted to know where MARCIE lives..."

"What're you gonna do, Lucy?"

"Get them together."

"Are you nuts?!"

"Nope."

"Why?"

"I want to know if Marcie would fall for him."

"Remember how Marcie reacted when we called her 'Lambcake'?"

"People change. Take me for example, Schroeder."

That evening, Marcie sighed as she and Peppermint Patty walked into the living room. Patty turned the TV on before Marcie gulped. "Something's NOT righ, Sir." she explained.

"Like what, Marcie?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"I think someone's been let in..."

"Go ask your mom."

"I will..."

Patty sighed as she tuned into the TV, thinking about who on Earth could be there-until hearing someone upstairs.

"Mom, someone's in the house." Marcie called out.

"I know. Such a darling little boy." her mom replied from her room.

"Ugh..." grumbling, Marcie stormed towards her best friend. "My mom knows there's a BOY in the house."

"Why?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"I have no clue."

"Did you ask WHO the boy is?"

"No; but I think I know who it is." and with that, Marcie grabbed Patty's baseball bat and stormed upstairs. "And he's NOT gonna live."

"CALM DOWN, MARCIE!" shouted Patty as they went upstairs.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" Marcie declared, opening her bedroom door to see Floyd, sitting on the bed happily and innocently. "FLOYD?!"

"Hi, Lambcake." he flirted.

"Stupid Floyd..." she huffed as he leaped off the bed and ran out. "AND DON'T COME BACK!"

"I only wanted to know if you wanted to come to Ace's re-opening." he sighed.

"As if..."

"Let it all out." reassured Peppermint Patty.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"You're just like a hurricane, Marcie: unpredictable...I was expecting you to scream; not cry...but to each her own."

The rest of the night dragged on until bedtime. Then Patty was really worried. "I made some hot cocoa." she insisted, handing a cup to Marcie. "But you really should get some sleep tonight."

"I will, Sir." Marcie trembled, she had taken off her glasses, revealing bloodshot eyes. "By the way...do you think Floyd likes me?"

"Does Floyd what?!"

**NEXT CHAPTER: SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF GERMAN CHOCOLATE**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4: LOVE FINDS MARCIE CARLIN**

Patty had awoke to Marcie crying in bed. "Marcie?" the tomboy asked, crawling in her friend's bed and hugging her. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"No, Sir...I was thinking of Hans again." replied Marcie. "He was such a great boyfriend...I can't sleep knowing he's gone."

"I know...sometimes, when I couldn't sleep, dad would sing me a lullaby...I still remember one of the lullabies he sang years ago..." Patty reflected.

"I doubt it'll help, Sir...nothing can mend a broken heart...not only that, but your singing SOMETIMES goes off-key."

"Everything will be fine, Marcie..."

"If you say so, Sir."

"So can I sing it or not?"

"You can try, Sir."

"Good...maybe you'll know it, I mean you DO have an appreciation for the fine arts."

"True."

Patty smiled as she cleared her throat.

_Over in Killarney, many years ago_

_My mother sang a song to me_

_in tones so sweet and low_

_Just a simple little ditty_

_in her good old Irish way_

_And I'd give the world if she could sing_

_that song to me this day_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby_

_Oft in dreams I wander_

_to that cot again._

_I feel her arms a-hugging me_

_As when she held me then_

_And I hear her voice a-hummin'_

_to me as in the days of yore,_

_when she used to rock me fast asleep_

_outside the cabin door._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,_

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby_

"That's a nice song, Sir." Marcie smiled slightly.

"I know, Marcie. Goodnight." Patty yawned as she flopped asleep within seconds. Marcie however was struggling to fall asleep. Not even reading helped. "THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" she shouted with a huff as Patty awoke abruptly.

"This is gonna be a long night..." Peppermint Patty sighed.

The next morning, things weren't any better either. Patty, Marcie and Claudia were waiting for the bus together while waiting for Franco and Skylar. "So then I told Krissy that-" Claudia began before seeing her friends' tired looks. "What happened?"

"Marcie here kept me up all night because of heartbreak." complained Peppermint Patty.

"Sometimes..." Claudia began. "When a girl has heartbreak, she eats ice cream...and with Ace's r-r-re-opening..."

"Really?" Marcie wondered. "Why hasn't anyone told me?"

"We tried." chuckled Patty. "But stubborn Marceline Carlin here wouldn't listen."

"No you didn't!"

"Did so!"

"You're just b-b-befuddled." Claudia sighed as Franco and Skylar walked towards them. "Hi, babe."

"What's going on?" Skylar asked, pricking his finger with an insulin needle. Claudia gagged slightly at the sight.

"Meh...Patty and Marcie are fighting." Claudia shrugged.

"I can tell..." Franco facepalmed. "Why the fighting, Freundin?"

"She started it!" Patty and Marcie shouted at the same time.

"Started what?" he giggled lightly.

"Patty said Ace's is re-opening on Saturday." Marcie explained.

"Marcie didn't know." Patty laughed to herself.

"Und I say you two didn't sleep much, did you?" joked Franco.

"Smart guy." Claudia giggled.

"Come on, bus' here." Skylar signaled as Marcie sighed to herself.

"Coming?" Patty asked, holding out her hand.

"Coming." Marcie replied.

Later that day, Schroeder was talking with Lucy about Floyd. "So...what's he like?" Schroeder worried.

"Desperate. For. Love." Lucy explained.

"And...he likes Marcie?"

"Yeah-he called her a 'lambcake'..."

"You know, Lucy, he worries me..."

"Why?"

"A boy that has a pet-name for a girl older than him and won't stop 'stalking' her as I'll call it...do you think we'll have to check all of Monte Woods if Marcie goes missing?"

"Schroeder, are ALL musicians this worrisome?"

"Remember the wholee Valentines Day incident with Sally, Eudora, the hole and Monte Woods? If Floyd learns of Hans, it's gonna be horrible!"

"Schroeder, Schroeder, Schroeder...that only happened once-besides, Hans is in Germany now; Floyd won't even know about him until Marcie tells him...THEN we worry."

"True...wait! WHAT?!"

"I'm serious."

"Should we warn Marcie?"

"No-she can handle him. We'll get ourselves involved if Freckles and Claudia don't hear from her in 48 hours after being with Floyd."

"You're weird, Lucy..."

Meanwhile, Eudora was busy with her homework when Linus walked in the door. "I just finished with Sally." he explained. "How's it going?"

"I was thinking of Monte Woods." Eudora sighed.

"Why?"

"Your BROTHER says that your SISTER has been bringing up the fiasco lately."

"Lucy?! Why?"

"Maybe she's worried that I'm STILL not over it."

"True-well we can re-thank Rattler and Cobra for finding you."

"No; I just want to know what Rerun meant by Lucy's been talking about Monte Woods..."

"We can ask."

"And get her steamed up? Forget it!"

"True..." Linus sighed as Eudora continued her homework. "So...how's your friendship with Sally?"

"It's good." Eudora smiled. "She's still got Michael-that's good."

"Yeah..."

That night, Linus was watching TV when Lucy walked towards him and turned on a fashion channel. "What?" she asked as he glared at her.

"What was that for?" Linus spat out.

"Girls LIKE fashion shows." Lucy smiled. "Even if Frieda likes American Idols..."

"Well, there's something I want to ask..."

"Yes, dear brother?"

"Are you planning on taking Schroeder on a date to Monte Woods?"

"WHAT?! That's where a MURDER happened many years ago!"

"What do you mean?" Linus wondered.

"According to a trusted website I constantly visit, twenty years ago, a girl was killed in Monte Woods when a date went horribly wrong. The same thing nearly happened ten years later. That was the last Monte Woods incident until Sally kidnapped Eudora and left her in that hole..." Lucy explained. "I'd NEVER take Schroeder somewhere with such a horrible record."

"Good...Eudora told me that you were talking about it lately-Rerun told her."

"I guess I'm worrying over nothing but, it's that Floyd kid...he seems like a stalker...remember Sally's behaviour before Michael?"

"Lucy, I'm sure Floyd's a sweet guy."

"I think he's a male 'Sally Brown' who needs a female 'Michael' to whip him into shape!"

"Uh..."

"If Eudora continues to call you 'Sweet Babboo' even when you don't like it, you'd confront her...now, replace Eudora with Floyd and 'Sweet Babboo' with 'Lambcake'."

"Lucy, you're over reacting."

"What?"

"Stop worrying, Lucy."

"I'll stop worrying once people start blocking off Monte Woods!" she declared.

Elsewhere, Floyd was sitting in Sparkyville Park, jotting down places to take his 'Lambcake'. "Hmm...theater? Sure. Tiny Tots Concerts? Too boring. Museum. Yes! Circus? Of course! Mall? She IS a girl...why not? Monte Woods? Seems like a nice place for a picnic...she'll love it!"

**NEXT CHAPTER: WARNING BELLS**

'**Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral' **written by J.R. Shannon and Roy Ringwald

© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5: ACE'S RE-OPENING**

"TGIF!" declared Melanie as the bell rang. "No school for two days!" she cheered as Franklin put a hand on her shoulder. "What is it, Frankie?"

"Remember what's going on tomorrow?" he asked.

"Ace's is re-opening!" she smiled. "I'm so excited!"

"Same." Cobra added as she and Rattler walked past them.

"We all are." Dominick reminded. "I'm taking Sylvia."

"And I'm taking Holly." Thibault called out.

"I'll take Frankie." Melanie flirted.

Lucy smiled as she and Schroeder walked to Joe's to work on homework, eat and talk. Dolores and Jose were joining them for a double date. "So, you met Floyd?" Jose asked.

"He's quite weird...I think he's gonna get rid of Marcie." Schroeder declared.

"How?" Dolores asked.

"By taking her to Monte Woods." Lucy declared. "There, he could get rid of her before Peppermint Patty and Claudia realize!"

"You're exaggerating!" laughed Jose. "Marcie's gonna be fine."

"Yeah." Dolores agreed, giggling.

"I'm serious!" Lucy sighed.

Later that afternoon, Claudia and Peppermint Patty had decided to surprise Marcie-but they didn't know how. "What about getting Hans on webchat?" asked Patty.

"Drawings." Claudia smiled. "Drawings will w-w-work."

"Uh...flowers?"

"Chocolates?"

Their eyes suddlenly widened. "I got it..." they said in unison as Floyd ran past them.

"Who're you?" asked Claudia.

"Name's Floyd, Missy." Floyd introduced.

"My name's Claudia."

"Sorry...I'm looking for a Marceline Carlin."

"Floyd?!" Peppermint Patty gasped.

"Yeah, Sir." Floyd smiled.

"DON'T call me Sir." the tomboy bossed.

"Chill. I just wanna make amends with Marcie..."

"I doubt it, but sure." Patty shrugged.

Marcie sighed as she read to herself, it was an old book she found a half hour earlier and she couldn't stop reading it. Once the phone rang, she instantly picked it up. "Carlin residence." she began. "This is M-"

"Good, don't be alarmed but Floyd's gonna try making amends with you." Peppermint Patty explained.

"Why?" Marcie asked.

"You won't believe it, but I think Floyd's TOO smitten."

"If he lays ONE FINGER on me, he's gonna be sorry!"

"I knew you'd say that, Marce."

"I don't even like that creep."

"I knew you'd say that too. I hope you don't mind, but Claude invited me to her place for a sleepover. Wanna join?"

"No thanks, Sir...I'll be fine at home, alone...fine...I'll just tell mom and dad."

"Good."

Later that night, the three were talking together while Krissy supervised them to make sure they didn't get in too much trouble. "Well?" Krissy asked.

"Krissy, have you ever dealt with heartbreak?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"No...Red's my girlfriend-she's been my best friend since I was 8." Krissy smiled.

"Cool." Marcie smiled slightly. "I can't get my boyfriend off my mind."

"Then do something constructive."

"Like what? Sit around all day reading? That's what I've been doing since I could read..."

"No..." Claudia argued. "Why don't you t-t-take up a hobby?"

"Well, Schroeder plays piano-I can play the violin and electric organ..." Marcie realized. "I can skate a little BEFORE breaking my arm...I'm also a bit of a dancer..."

"Can you paint?" asked Claudia.

"A little...my parents have high hopes for me..."

The rest of the night was spent talking about boys and sports, playing video games and watching Krissy knit a hoodie.

Early the next morning, the gang had met up at Ace's as the shop keeper opened the shop. Such a happy moment it would be.

"Don't ya love Ace's?" asked Peppermint Patty.

"Yeah..." sighed Marcie.

"What's wrong?"

"When do the good things start? Just look around, Sir...Everyone's with their boyfriend. Charles has Frieda, Linus has Eudora, Lucy has Schroeder, Franklin has Melanie, you have Franco, Claudia has Skylar, even Michael's showing up and who's his girlfriend? Sally, that's who! Even Snoopy seems to have Gracie. But wait a minute-who do I have? No one, Sir. I'm going to Ace's re-opening with A DOG. Not that I'm complaining though."

"Better than nothing..." joked Lucy.

"Gracie's a good companion." Skylar added. "You'll love her."

"I'm not dog-sexual." replied Marcie.

"Good one." exclaimed Peppermint Patty as Sally cracked up.

"Dog-sexual?" asked Schroeder.

"Hey Lambcake..." a voice spoke up enthusiastically.

"Floyd..." Lucy gritted her teeth.

"Relax, I'm just being my lambcake's date." Floyd explained.

"I don't need a date, Floyd." Marcie huffed. "I got Claudia's dog."

"Don't you wanna smooch a boys' lips?" asked Floyd.

"If I could, I'd belt you one."

"What's stopping you?"

"There're little kids here."

"Oh...then you can slug me while we're on a romantic picnic in Sparkyville Park."

"Forget it, Floyd."

"Come on, you two." Frieda sighed. "Marcie, Floyd only wants to help...Floyd, stop pestering Marcie."

"Okay, Curly-Boo." Floyd flirted.

"Oh great...a ladies man." Charlie Brown sighed.

The gang sighed as they went inside the ice cream shop to eat. "Big Brother..." Sally began. "Where's my old baby blanket?"

"It's in the attic." Charlie Brown replied, realizing how out of the blue that question was, but shrugged it off as Sally wanting Linus to hold it for a few minutes.

"I'll take nutmeg." Peppermint Patty smiled.

"German chocolate." Franco insisted.

"A banana split-hold the ice cream." Skylar sheepishly requested as the kids blinked at his odd request.

"Rocky road." Pigpen smiled.

"Chocolate-vanilla." Sidney continued.

"Strawberry!" chanted Patty (Swanson)

"Cheesecake." Lucy pointed out.

"Raspberry Rhum." suggested Schroeder.

"Chocolate." Shermy said.

"Banana." smiled Violet.

"Lemon-lime." Franklin responded.

"WHAT'S A LEMON-LIME?!" shouted Melanie. "I'll take strawberry shortcake."

"Rocky road." Dominick smiled.

"Make that TWO rocky roads." Cobra corrected.

"Chocolate, strawberry and vanilla." Thibault smiled.

"Red velvet." Rattler suggested.

"Birthday cake sounds nice..." Joslyn realized.

"Two blueberry." Freddy Fabulous ordered.

"Yeah." Francesca agreed.

"Root beer!" Snoopy, Andy, Olaf and Gracie cheered.

"Vanilla..." Charlie Brown bluntly said.

"Grape." Frieda smiled.

"Pecan!" Sally squealed.

"Dark chocolate." Michael chuckled.

"Cherry." Ox smiled.

"Mint!" Claudia added.

"Coconut..." Marcie spoke, barely audiable, but the shop manager got the drift-and so did the other kids.

"Ick!" the other kids (sans Lucy and Violet) protested.

"Hey, you have your favorites, I have my favorites..." she shrugged.

"She's right." Violet smiled.

"We agree, huh, Carlin?" Lucy beamed as Floyd gagged.

"I just like coconut flavored stuff...coconut cake, coconut cream pies, coconut candies...even coconut ice cream." Marcie sighed to herself.

"I think I'm gonna puke." Patty (Swanson) declared, running to the girls' restroom.

"I prefer caramel ice cream...want a lick?*" Floyd asked.

"No thanks." Marcie denied.

"Oh come on. It's traditional." he protested.

"Under ONE CONDITION-you lick my cone." she smirked.

"N-n-never mind..."

"I thought so."

"Neat, Marcie came up with some 'Anti-Lambcake'..." joked Franklin.

"Wouldn't lamb taste HORRIBLE in cake?" asked Melanie.

Later that day, Sally smiled as she pulled out her baby blanket. "I remember the day I learnt how to clutch onto this..." she smiled as she walked into the living room. "So, need an extra sense of security?"

"Maybe..." Marcie shrugged.

"Good." Sally smiled, grabbing the blanket from the couch and handing it to her brother's friend. "Now...let me see if I remember this..." she shrugged to herself as Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty were playing with baby Wyatt. "And DON'T let Peppermint Patty and my big brother find out I'm doing this."

"I won't even tell Linus." Marcie sighed. "Besides, if Patty found out I'm clutching onto a blanket, she's gonna chew out Linus."

"My big brother did that once...so this is gonna be our secret." the blonde girl winked, unaware that Linus and Eudora just entered the house.

**NEXT CHAPTER: MINUS**

(*)= Yes, sometimes, I'd sample a bit of my mom's ice cream and vice-versa when we'd go to _Chez Lu-Lu's_-LivingOnLaughs


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6: A TEMPORARY CRUTCH**

"Now, do what I do." Sally instructed, placing her old blanket in her left hand. "Hold the blanket in your left hand, Marcie...that's the way...now the thumb"

"I look ridiculous..." Marcie sighed.

"Agreed." Eudora thought via thought bubble as Linus facepalmed. He REGRETTED teaching Sally how to be like him when she was a baby.

"Charlie Brown!" Linus called out as he walked towards his best friend. "You won't believe this!"

"What is it?" Peppermint Patty asked as Wyatt babbled a little.

"It's Sally...and Marcie." he explained.

"What're they doing?" Charlie Brown worried, scooping up Wyatt as they walked towards the living room.

"No, no, no! Hold the blanket in you left hand...that's the way...NOW the thumb..." Sally instructed as Peppermint Patty blinked.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD **IS **GOING ON HERE?!" the tomboy asked as Sally and Marcie jumped in shock.

"It's not what you think..." Marcie trembled.

"It better not be..." Charlie Brown sighed before heading back to the bedroom.

"Look, Linus, you're not gonna teach any friend of mine to sit around holding a blanket!" Peppermint Patty shouted. "I thought you were over the blanket!"

"I-" Linus began.

"Just because YOU needed a crutch, it doesn't mean SHE does! Of all the stupid HABITS, that blanket WAS the STUPIDEST! And that's ALL it was, like Lucille would say, it's just a HABBIT! A STUPID HABBIT!"

"I'm guilty for this." Sally sighed. "I'm teaching Marcie to use a security blanket."

Patty huffed. "You're not going to teach her to use a blanket for security or happiness or for ANYTHING! Marcie is going to use her own will-power to grow from a child to WELL-ADJUSTED WOMAN!"

"Like you, Sir?" Marcie wondered.

"Well..." Patty began. "I am a bit...uh...well..."

Sally smiled as she clutched onto her old baby blanket, sucking her thumb as Marcie copied her. Eudora giggled. "And I thought **I **looked silly with LINUS' blanket..." she realized as Patty sighed.

"Really?" Patty asked. "CHUCK!"

"What?" Charlie Brown wondered.

"Sally's teaching Marcie to cling onto a blanket for security."

"Be serious..."

"I AM!"

"It's temporary..." Sally told herself as Marcie smiled, clinging onto the blanket.

"You and your stupid blanket." joked Linus, pulling away the blanket as Marcie growled at him. "I always wanted to say that."

Later the next Friday, Floyd had lured Marcie out of her house by taking her out on a 'date'. He held onto a picnic basket and had a guitar on his back. "Come on, Lambcake." he signaled as she stepped out of the house, dragging a lavender blanket behind her. "Why the blanket? I already have a picnic blanket."

"Shut up." Marcie grumbled, dragging the blanket behind her.

"Aww...my little lambcake needs a blanket for security..."

"Nope." Marcie denied. "It's for protection."

"From big scary, grizzly bears?" Floyd asked.

"Nope. Not bears."

"Is it for protection from big hairy spiders?"

"As if...the only spider that scare me is Tarantula."

"Fair enough...those creatures are scariest."

"Watch it!"

"I'm being honest. Are you afraid of devilish dogs?"

"Sorry-dogs DON'T scare me...unless they're rabid..."

"Come on, Lambcake, you'll love our date."

Sighing, Marcie followed him into Monte Woods, gulping at a sign someone put up.

_**WARNING: KEEP OUT. THIS IS THE RESTING PLACE OF STEVIE MARY PIPER, WHO WAS KILLED BY HER BIPOLAR BOYFRIEND ON A DATE. THEN, ROSIE BLARE WAS NEARLY KILLED HERE AND, FINALLY, AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL NAMED EUDORA-WHO'S LAST NAME WE'LL PROTECT FOR LEGAL REASONS-WAS KIDNAPPED IN A HOLE A FEW FEET AWAY FROM WHERE YOU'RE WALKING. BE WARNED!**_

"Uh...Floyd?" Marcie gulped.

"Not now, Lambcake." denied Floyd.

"Are you a murderer?"

"Why'd you say that? Afraid I'll leave you to die?"

"No..." she instantly clinged onto her blanket firmly. "I'm just scared."

"Of what? I don't bite, Lamby?"

Marcie gulped as Floyd winked at her. "Floyd-shut the f-"

"I love a girl who curses." Floyd flirted, covering her lips with his lips as she gasped, pushed him off of her and ran into the woods, away from him. "What a cutie." he smiled as he followed her.

The two shared a picnic for an hour before Floyd got distracted by a beetle. "I'll save you from it, lambcake!" he declared, chasing it as she ran off.

"At least it's Friday..." Marcie thought. "I'll have all weekend to explain this to mom and dad and Peppermint Patty..." she then looked around before tripping in a river. "But...where am I?"

That evening, Peppermint Patty and Claudia were looking around for Marcie, calling out her name instead of her nickname and even getting Joslyn involved.

"MARCIE!" Joslyn shouted.

"No, Jos. Like this-MARCELINE!" Patty explained. "Think Marce but with an ah-leen."

"Oh...wait...what?"

Claudia trembled as she squeaked out a tiny "Marceline?"

Franco and Skylar soon noticed the three girls and began asking questions. "Why the screaming?" began Franco.

"My ears hurt." Skylar stated. "Please stop screaming."

"Marceline's lost." Joslyn explained.

"Qui?" asked Skylar.

"She means Marcie." Franco and Peppermint Patty defined.

"She's lost." Claudia worried. "Should we g-g-go after her?"

"Where would the girl be?" asked Skylar. "Monte Woods? That's the most DANGEROUS woods ever."

"Well...Sally kidnapped Eudora there...it's worth a shot." shrugged Peppermint Patty.

"No it isn't! We could die!" Franco denied. "Think about that!"

"I am...I'm a risk taker!" the tomboy smiled.

"As if..." Claudia groaned. "C-c-count me OUT!"

"It's gonna be FUN, Claude."

"NO!"

"Please? For-"

"This ISN'T for Narnia..." Joslyn cut her off.

"Yeah." Linus agreed as he and Eudora walked towards them.

"-For _Marcie_..." sighed Patty.

"She's probably taking a nap at Charlie Brown's place...it's been a stressful week for us all." Franklin shrugged as he and Melanie walked towards them. "Besides, you yourself found her asleep at Charlie's place from overexhaustion."

"Franklin, that's NOT useful." Skylar argued.

"Don't worry...like I just said, she's probably asleep at Charlie Brown's place." Franklin repeated.

"Who's probably asleep at my house?" asked Sally as she walked towards them.

"WHAT?" Melanie screamed.

"She's n-not there?" Claudia gulped.

"Look, no one's at my house who shouldn't be there EXCEPT for FRIEDA." Sally sighed.

"Search party!" Joslyn, Patty, Claudia, Skylar and Franco declared.

"I LOVE parties." smiled Melanie.

"Uh...you mean a SEARCH PARTY..." sighed Franklin.

"We better find Marcie, stat." Joslyn exclaimed.

"Stat? Is that her middle name?" Melanie asked herself.

"Lucy's right..." Linus realized.

"With what?" a curious Sally asked.

"Come on."

Snoopy, Gracie and the Beagle Scouts followed the kids as they ran to Schroeder's house-where he and Lucy were.

"LUCILLE!" shouted Patty.

"Yes?" asked Lucy as she opened the door to see many anxious kids.

**NEXT CHAPTER: KEEP LOOKING, CHARLIE BROWN**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7: AMBER ALERT**

_NOTE: You can't see it, but the chapter title is in amber_

"What's going on?" asked Schroeder as he sat at the piano. "Also, any requests?"

"Lucy, you were right." Linus sighed.

"With what? That your blanket was stupid or that the 'Great Pumpkin' is never gonna show up?" Lucy asked.

"No and no...remember what you said about Monte Woods?" worried Linus.

"That it's dangerous?" Lucy shrugged.

"Well, surprise-surprise, Marcie's missing." Patty explained.

"What?" Schroeder gulped.

"For how long?" Lucy demanded.

"We were calling out her name all afternoon." complained Joslyn.

"That's it! I say we issue a warning! Get EVERYONE we know on the phone!"

"I'll tell my big brother." Sally saluted.

"I'll tell Marcie's parents." Patty explained.

"I'll tell Krissy." Claudia added.

"And I'll...I'll stay here." Joslyn sighed.

"Oh dear." Franklin sighed as Melanie hugged him.

"I hope Marcie's okay." she whimpered.

"Same..." Eudora comforted.

"Let's split up!" Linus exclaimed. "Boys, girls and Beagle Scouts alike have done search parties way back when the world began, why stop the art of search parties?"

"He's right." Sally smiled. "A search party IS the BEST IDEA!"

"No it isn't!" Schroeder denied. "Sometimes, search parties end because the party they're searching for is..."

"DEAD?" Melanie and Sally screamed before crying.

"I said _sometimes_..." he sighed as Skylar dialed Charlie Brown's number.

"Hello?" Charlie Brown asked.

"Hey, Charlie Brown, it's me-Skylar...listen, AMBER ALERT!" declared Skylar.

"Shh!" Charlie shushed.

"Sorry...meet us at Schroeder's place-and BRING FRIEDA."

"Uh...why? I JUST got Wyatt down for the night."

"Just come on."

"Okay..."

"Krissy's gonna be coming to look after the baby."

"Good."

Frieda worried as Charlie Brown hung up the phone, grabbed her hand and lead her to Schroeder's house. "What's going on?" Frieda asked.

"Just the two we're looking for." Sally realized, hugging her big brother.

"Krissy's on her w-way to the Brown's house."Claudia declared.

"Good." Linus smiled worriedly.

"What's going on here?" asked Charlie Brown.

"Marcie's gone missing." Schroeder explained.

"I haven't seen her AFTER we went home."

"True..."

"Besides..." Frieda began. "If we did see her, we'd be able to help."

"Oh fudge!" Dominick huffed.

"What?" Cobra asked.

"What if this ends up like with Margaux?"

"DON'T **EVER** SAY THAT!"

"He HAS a point..." shrugged Rattler.

"No!" Thibault trembled as Floyd walked towards them, beetle in a jar he kept in his hands. "What's that?"

"A beetle." Floyd smiled to himself. "What's going on here?"

"A search party." Lucy explained, dialing a 9, then a 1.

"Maybe she went home." Linus shrugged.

"NO!" Lucy argued, dialing the last 1.

"What happened?" Floyd asked.

"Your 'Lambcake' is missing." Rattler explained as the boy ran off.

Dolores and Jose were notified of the search party when police sirens and lights flashed from Dolores' window. "It's going to James Street." she instructed.

"Come on." Jose instructed.

"What's going on?" asked Dolores to a police officer.

"Ma'am, there's been a missing child." the officer replied.

"¿Qué?" Jose gasped.

"Who?" Dolores worried.

"We're getting a description right now..." the officer sighed.

"Well?" Jose asked.

"Hang on, here she comes...well, Hope?"

"Short girl, ten years old, wearing red clothes." the female officer explained.

"Anything else?" the officer asked.

"Brown hair, light skin, glasses-they say her name's Marceline Carlin."

"Oh no..." Jose realized as he and Dolores ran into the house and hugged the kids. "We're so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Frieda reassured.

"Si." Dolores denied. "We laughed when Lucy shared her concerns."

"We should search the area." officer Hope suggested. "You kids, stay here."

"Hey! I'm her friend!" shouted Peppermint Patty. "I should be there for Marcie!"

"Look, this is a policeman-and woman-'s job." the chief officer reminded. "You're twelve."

"Thirteen in October; but true..."

Ox sighed as Patty (Swanson) looked over at him. "Worried?" he asked.

"No...I'm just thinking of what would happen if VIOLET was the one missing..." Patty sighed.

"Don't worry." Krissy comforted, sitting in a rocking chair and rocking baby Wyatt in her arms while Red smiled. "Violet's safe."

"And that's what matters-right?" asked Red.

"Yeah..." Violet and Patty (Swanson) realized.

"Cry it out." Claudia insisted.

"We're gonna check every part of town, top to bottom-the woods are too dangerous at night without the helicopter." another officer explained.

"Trying to keep optimistic, at least we're talking together." Skylar shrugged before fidgeting with his headgear. "Sorry, force of habit."

"Figures..." Lucy shrugged as Schroeder grabbed his baseball bat. "Uh, Schroeder-"

"We're going to Monte Woods." he declared.

"MONTE WOODS?!" the kids gasped.

"It's worth a shot." Schroeder shrugged. "Besides, we can do it."

"Yeah-we can get in trouble." Franklin reminded.

"There's a lot of good mud at Monte Woods." Pigpen smiled. "Perfect for Violet's mud pies."

"I'm gonna puke." Violet declared.

"Rude." Krissy called out. "With a Capitol **R**."

"She IS a girl." Red shrugged. "I'll take a group of kids to Monte Woods to see the nature; you handle the baby and the others."

Instantly, Snoopy, Graice, Charlie Brown, Frieda, the Beagle Scouts, Schroeder, Lucy, Pigpen, Sidney, Claudia, Skylar, Joslyn, Franco and Peppermint Patty huddled up to Red. "I see I have a rescue squad..."

"They're not the only ones." protested Thibault as he and Rattler stood up.

"Be careful." Cobra cried.

"I will." Rattler comforted.

"Good luck." Rerun waved.

"Be safe." Linus warned.

"If we're NOT back in twenty minutes-wait LONGER." Red explained as Krissy nodded her head.

_You came in swinging like Apollo_

_I'll be feelin' it tomorrow_

_No, I ain't seein' straight, hyperventilate_

_Knees begin to wobble_

_You cut my brakes and hit the throttle_

_I couldn't stop it if I wanted_

_Just your silhouette, makes me break a sweat_

_I'm in trouble_

_Oh, I've been dazed and confused_

_From the day I met you_

_Yeah, I lost my head_

_And I'd do it again_

_Either I've seen the light_

_Or I'm losing my mind_

_There's something 'bout you_

_That's got me dazed and confused_

_Dazed_

_Dazed and confused_

_Dazed_

_I bet you know just what you're doing_

_You're not the type that's used to losing_

_First, you build me up, then with just a touch_

_Leave me here in ruins_

_Something 'bout your eyes_

_I can't even walk in a straight line_

_Under the influence_

_Oh, I've been dazed and confused_

_From the day I met you_

_Yeah, I lost my head_

_And I'd do it again_

_Either I've seen the light_

_Or I'm losing my mind_

_There's something 'bout you_

_That's got me dazed and confused_

_Dazed_

_Dazed and confused_

_Dazed_

_I don't know if this is real life, real life_

_What happens if I open my eyes, my eyes?_

_Will I ever get my head right, head right?_

_I don't know if this is real life, real life_

_Oh, I've been dazed and confused_

_From the day I met you_

_Yeah, I lost my head_

_And I'd do it again_

_Either I've seen the light_

_Or I'm losing my mind_

_There's something 'bout you_

_That's got me_

_That's got me dazed and confused_

_From the day I met you_

_Yeah, I lost my head_

_And I'd do it again_

_Either I've seen the light_

_Or I'm losing my mind_

_There's something 'bout you_

_That's got me dazed and confused_

The kids sighed as they walked deep in Monte Woods. "Alright." Red cracked her knuckles. "It's just me, Snoopy, Graice, Charlie Brown, Frieda, the Beagle Scouts, Schroeder, Lucy, Pigpen, Sidney, Claudia, Skylar, Joslyn, Franco and Peppermint Patty."

"What can we do to help?" asked Lucy.

"Schroeder, Lucy, Claudia, Skylar, Franco and Peppermint Patty-you go and search the deep part of the forest. Pigpen and Sidney-you check the swampy area. Snoopy and Gracie-take the Beagle Scouts to the rocky parts. Charlie Brown and Frieda-you two will keep a lookout with me." Red coached.

"I hope Marcie's not too lonely all on her own..." Joslyn sighed.

"We don't even know if she's here." Lucy shrugged as Schroeder batted his way through the deep part of the forest with his baseball bat-occasionally lashing the branches at the other kids' faces. "SCHROEDER!" Lucy shouted.

"Sorry..." Schroeder blushed as he lead the kids to a deep part of the woods-they'd never been here before. "Wow...look at all this cluture! Plastic and glass' all over the floor! So are twigs and mud!"

"Now I know why no one's been here before..." Patty shrugged as Lucy picked up a muddy pair of glasses with a scratch mark on the left lens. "Wow, Lucille, and I thought you HATE dirty stuff; but here you are, picking up FILTHY glasses."

"It's just mud...Pigpen can identify it for us later." Lucy shrugged before they saw a t-shirt, soaked in water and laying on the grass, as if it was drying out. "But what in the name of Sparky Schulz IS **THIS?**" she asked.

"A shirt." Franco said sarcastically.

"Well, you know my motto-where there's a shirt, there're shorts." Patty explained. "And where there're shorts, there's socks and shoes and then a kid."

Lucy huffed. "You gotta have a head full of air to NOT be wearing anything in this weather!"

"The shirt is WET." Franco reminded.

"Wet?" Lucy asked. "Ick!"

"I'm worried, Lucille." Patty confessed.

Worrying, Schroeder grabbed the bat and swung it around upon hearing rustling. "WHO'S THERE?!" he asked, gritting his teeth.

"My hero..." flirted Lucy.

"It's..." Joslyn began as Snoopy and Gracie leaped out of a bush. "Just two dogs..."

"GRACIE!" Claudia cheered, hugging her pet dog happily. "How's the search?" she asked.

"No luck..." Gracie whimpered.

"I th-thought so." Claudia sighed. "No luck?"

"Come on, she can't be too far." Snoopy suggested.

"But where?" asked Gracie as Andy and Olaf ran out of the bush as well. "And where'd THEY come from?"

"We were looking for food." Andy explained.

"Cool." Snoopy smiled.

"Who leaves wet clothes lying around?" asked Joslyn.

"Someone who got wet." Patty shrugged.

"This is soaking wet." Lucy grimaced.

"Yeah." Skylar added.

"Let's meet back up with Red and tell her." Lucy suggested, grabbing the shirt and running off.

"You found a what?" Red asked as Charlie Brown and Frieda blinked.

"A shirt." Lucy stated.

"It looks nice." Frieda smiled.

"Yeah." added Charlie Brown.

"I know." Lucy beamed.

"Wow..." Frieda and Charlie realized.

"Any luck?" asked Pigpen.

"Yes-we found a shirt." Patty smiled.

"Cool..." he replied.

"Did you find the shirt's OWNER?" joked Sidney.

"No..." Schroeder confessed. "Come on." he insisted, bringing the kids back to where they found the shirt. "Anyone here?" he called out.

"Dad? Mom?" a voice called out. "Mom? Dad?"

"Hi..." Franco smiled, waving as he approached the figure, wrapped in a light purple blanket tightly. "Name's Franco."

"I know, Franco." the voice giggled.

Snoopy whimpered as he touched the blanket-wanting to run off, but instead, leaving it on the kid. He had a nagging feeling that the kid wasn't clothed.

"Are you okay?" Patty asked.

"Yeah." the kid sighed.

"I think I know you." smiled Claudia. "Marcie?"

"Yeah..."

"Where were you?" Patty asked.

"Lost in Monte Woods-duh." Marcie sighed.

"Weird girl..." Snoopy shrugged.

"Why're you wrapped in a blanket?" Lucy straight-up asked.

"I fell in a river of some sorts...and couldn't find my way back home..." was all Marcie could say.

"Come on, let's go home..." Patty sighed, holding out her hand.

"Over here!" a voice called out.

"Where?" another voice asked as they walked to where the group of kids were.

"Hi." Joslyn called out as two officers walked towards them.

"Everything's okay here." Patty beamed. "We found my little friend here and everything's gonna be great."

"Monte Woods is too dangerous at night." an officer warned.

"Hey, it wasn't MY idea to go here-it was FLOYD'S." protested Marcie.

"Really?" Lucy asked before sighing. "Someone shoul've told him this place is dangerous."

"I tried-honest!"

"Stubborn bull..." Schroeder muttered.

"Hey!" Claudia reacted.

"Not you; Floyd."

"Oh."

"Come on-let's get home." Lucy signaled.

"I'll catch up with you guys." Marcie sighed.

"Okay, Carlin."

"Hurry up." Claudia smiled anxiously, tapping her foot impatiently.

Skylar smiled as he pulled out his inhaler and shook it. "Just making sure..." he explained. "Besides, I have a nagging feeling there is pollen around here."

"I don't mind." Claudia smiled. "The needle makes me sq-squirm though."

"Linus faints if he sees a needle." Lucy smiled to herself.

"Come on, guys." Skylar signaled. "Claudia, sweetie, stay with Marcie while we get some help."

A few minutes later, Claudia and Marcie caught up with the two-Skylar raised an eyebrow. "You gotta get that checked out." he told himslef.

"Why?" the other kids asked.

"No offense or anything, but are your legs always that chubby?"

"Watch it!" Marcie shouted. Patty facepalmed as she gave Skylar a you-gotta-be-kidding-look.

"She's always had chubby legs." the tomboy explained.

"Really?" Skylar asked. "Swollen too?"

"Sky, this b-b-better be a bad joke..." Claudia prayed.

"I heard water helps with poison oak..." Marcie shrugged.

"Aye..." Lucy sighed. "Not only do you get lost in Monte Woods, but you also get rashes from poison oak."

"That's gotta hurt." Joslyn cringed.

"It does." Skylar pointed out. "Right?"

"SKYLAR!" Claudia blushed.

**NEXT CHAPTER: OUCH!**

**'Dazed and Confused' **written by Mark Landon, Peter Harding, Ruel Van Dijk and Sean Douglas

© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8: IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT...****OR WAS IT?**

A few days later, the kids had met up at the Park, talking together.

"So, where WERE you?" Linus asked.

"I got lost in Monte Woods because I was ESCAPING Floyd..." Marcie sighed, looking at the bandages on her legs.

"Did you get scratched?" asked Frieda.

"No; I found out I'm allergic to poison oak though."

"Whoa."

"Yeah..." Skylar sighed.

"It's p-p-painful." cringed Claudia. "Trust me."

"You got poisoned oak-ed?" asked Sally.

"When I was 5..." Claudia sighed.

"Yeah..." Skylar sighed. "We were playing outside when she tripped in a poison oak patch-she was scratching for THREE WEEKS."

"Ouch." Franklin grimmaced. "My grandfather says that you only live from your mistakes."

"You do?" Melanie wondered.

"Yeah."

"I wish I knew that earlier in my life-then I wouldn't have stayed up until 2 in the morning since I was 6..." Peppermint Patty groaned.

"Wow..." Skylar gulped.

"You said it; not me." Marcie shrugged. "Besides, I was being dumb."

"Running away from a creep is never the right thing to do." Thibault explained as the other kids looked at him. "Uh..." he stammered.

"Good grief." Patty (Swanson) sighed.

"It's fine, Tee Wee." Rattler giggled.

"Well I'm never ever gonna chase Eudora into Monte Woods so I can take Linus; I got Michael." Sally reminded.

"I wish I had your problem." Schroeder sighed.

"Why?" asked Sally.

"I always wanted to say that."

"So, when baseball season rolls by, we're gonna beat ya!" Peppermint Patty warned Charlie Brown.

"Are not!" Charlie Brown retreated as Marcie sighed.

"Look, you were running away from a creep." Linus explained, clinging onto the purple blanket she was holding onto. "If I was running away from a creep, I would forget about the poison oak and queen snakes too."

"QUEEN SNAKES?!" Marcie shrieked.

"You DON'T like snakes, do you?" a worried Linus asked.

"They're so...creepy!" she trembled. "They hiss and rattle and bite and..."

"Yes?" Rattler and Lucy teased, making hissing noises-the way Hannibal hissed too.

"Quit it..." Cobra sighed. "And LISTEN to your leader."

"Sorry..." Lucy blushed. "Just teasing my dumb brother."

"TEASING?!" Linus asked, trembling as he hugged Marcie.

"Yeah..." Rattler added. "Sorry if we scared you two."

"Well, you scared us alright."

"I'm scared..." was all Marcie could squeak.

"What's this?" Eudora asked, holding up the purple blanket. "A coy to win my Linus' heart?"

"No-it's a security blanket..."

"A what?"

"A blanket for security."

"Look here, missy-I DON'T do third wheels." Eudora set straight.

"Apparently..." Marcie began, clinging onto her blanket. "Eudora is easily envious."

"Looks that way." Linus shrugged.

"Know any single boys?"

"No, but I wouldn't mind helping you find one."

Smiling, Linus pulled Ma-

* * *

"SNOOPY, SUPPERTIME!" shouted Charlie Brown as he put the dog dish next to the doghouse.

"Rats..." Snoopy sighed as his train of thought came to a hault. "And I was almost done with my best-selling novel."

"How IS that novel coming along?" Eudora asked.

"I don't know." Sally shrugged as she grabbed the manuscript. "Needs a title." she suggested.

"Come on-Linus' taking me to the movies. Call Michael."

"Okay!"

"You can finish typing later, Snoopy-Marcie has something to tell me." Charlie Brown smiled to himself. "And you HAVE to hear this."

"Rats..." Snoopy sighed.

"Come on."

"Well?" Snoopy asked as they entered the living room.

"Hey Charles. Hi Snoopy-Woopy." Marcie smiled to herself, ruffling the beagle's fur.

"What's so urgent?" asked Snoopy.

"Shh..." Charlie Brown shushed. "Go on, Marcie, tell him."

"Snoopy, I think I'm in love." explained Marcie.

"With who? A vampire?" the beagle thought, walking back to his doghouse to finish his novel.

"That's great." Charlie Brown smiled. "If I didn't have Frieda-maybe..."

"I'm real glad you two're together." Marcie explained. "In fact, I'm THRILLED you have her..."

"So-who're you in love with?"

"Not telling...but it IS a boy..."

"So, you're straight?"

"Maybe...out of curiousity, what IS Snoopy writing?"

"He's been writing some sort of novel..."

"What'd he call it, Charles?"

"Something based on Little Miss Sunshine..." he shrugged as she nuzzled into his chest. "Just this once, okay?" he smiled.

"You got it, Charles." Marcie sighed as Frieda walked towards them, Wyatt in her arms.

"What're we watching tonight, guys?" asked Frieda.

"You choose-Peppermint Patty, Franco, Claudia and Skylar are on their way." Marcie replied.

"What's keeping them?" realized Charlie Brown.

"Colleen and her daughters were visiting again." Peppermint Patty explained, opening the front door. "Sorry if I'm late for movie night, Chuck."

"Not at all-Snoopy's outside, typing." the blockhead replied.

"What's he typing? A dark and stormy night novel?" the tomboy joked.

Later that night, Snoopy showed the kids his manuscript. Turning on a flashlight, Charlie Brown read the title aloud:

_"Little Miss Marcie..."_

"A best seller to-be." smiled Snoopy.

"How does it end?" Frieda asked.

"That's NOT how you read a book." Skylar explained. "You read from beginning to end to find out how it ends."

"Looks boring..." yawned Peppermint Patty. "Don't tell me it begins with 'It was a dark and stormy night'..."

"I'll read it!" Frieda declared as she opened it up

"We BETTER be getting half of the loot Snoop will make." the tomboy smiled.

"Sounds like something I'd read." Marcie realized.

"You'd read EVERYTHING!" Claudia joked.

Clearing her throat, Frieda began reading the story. "_The gang smiled as they walked around town. Snoopy, Andy, Olaf, Gracie, Charlie Brown, Frieda, Linus, Eudora, Peppermint Patty, Franco, Claudia and Skylar had just finished catching the Ray Raymondson movie at the theater (without Patty spoiling the ending) and were heading to Joe's to eat. Claudia was busy drawing in her notebook when Skylar tapped her shoulder_..."

**THE END**

_NOTE: WHAM! What you read was written by SNOOPY and never did happen...looks like we really DO get caught up in his stories after all._


End file.
